Propelling mechanism for boats.



W. F. ULLRIGH.

PROPELLING MECHANISM FOR BOATS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 13. me RENEWED MAR- zs. ma.

Patented Nov. 5, 1918.

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W. F, ULLRICH.

PROPELLING MECHANlS M FOR BOATS. APPLICAHON FILED JULY I3. 1916. RENEWED MAR. 26. 1918.

83,984 Patented Nov. 5,1918.

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are rotatably mounted.

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JPBOPELLING MECHANISM FOR BOATS.

Application filed July 13, 1916, Serial No. 109,109.

To all whom it may con ern: I

Be it known that I, WILLIAM F. ULLRICH, a citizen of the United. States, residing at Warren, in the county of Warren and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Propelli'ng Mechanism for Boats; and I do declare the following to be afull, clear,and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

his invention relates broadly to improvements in propulsion mechanism for boats and the like, and its primary object is to provide means f this character which is designed to permit two or more propellers to be driven on a single shaft.

An additional object is to provide means for revolving the propellers in opposite directions simultaneously.

Still another object is to provide an im proved bearing upon With these and many other objects in view, my invention resides in the novel features of construction, combination and ar rangement of parts which will later be more particularly described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 represents a vertical longitudinal section through a portion of the vessel showing my improved propulsion Inecha- .the latter being in side elevation; I

I Fig. 2 is a central vertical longitudinal section of the parts shown in Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse section on theplane of the line "3-3 of Fig. 2.; and

Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of one of the retaining collars.

In this preferred embodiment, my inven tion comprises a plurality of propellers which extend below the. bottom of a vessel 1 and are operated by suitable gears mounted upon shafts which extend parallel to the axis of the propellers. In the drawings, the numeral 1 designates the hull of a vessel provided with the usual longitudinally extending keel 2, the bottom of the vessel being provided with a flooring The propulsion mechanism is deslgned to be secured to said keel 2 at any preferred point thereon, and it consists of a tubular cylindrical axle 4, in the bore of whlch an Specification of Letters Patent.

upon the axle l,

rality of bearingballs which the propellers which extend provided on the Patented 1W or... 5, I918, Renewed March 26, 1918. Serial No. 224,890.

extension of said keel is disposed. A head 5 is formed at the forward end of the axle 4, and has its rear face at right angles to the longitudinal axle to provide a shoulder against which one of a number of propeller carrying rings G'is adapted to bear. In the present instance a pair of propeller carrying rings 6 is provided, the other ring being spaced from the first-mentioned ring which abuts the shoulder formed on the head 5, a spacing collar 7 being interposed between said rings. In order to retain the ring 6, which is remote from the head 5, an additional collar 8 is fixed to said axle.

The rear straight side of the head 5, each side of the collar 7, and the inner or forwardface of the collar 8, are each provided with an annular ball race 9 in which a plu- 10 are disposed. The

opposite sides of the rings 6 contact with these balls 10, and are thus more readily revolved. The collars 7 and 8 may be fixed to the axle 4by any preferred means, but are in the present instanceheld by pins 11 entirely through the axle and the keel 2wl1ich is disposed in the bore of the latter. I

In addition to the ball bearings which receive the end thrusts of the rings 6, roller bearings are also provided, these latter c011- sisting of rollers alined sockets 13 ameterslightly greater than the diameter of the circle inclosing said rollers 12. By providing both ball and roller bearings, the rings may be rotated with practically no friction at all.

Each of the rings 6 carries a plurality of propeller blades 14:, those :on the forward ring being angled in a direction different from the angle of those on the rear ring. Any number of propeller members may be axle 4, depending upon the to be propelled. It is advisable, however, to arrange the propeller members in pairs and rotate each alternate member in a direction reversed to that of theothers. To provide additional propelling members it is simply necessary to size of the vessel 1 directions.

of the rings mechanism,

,tion,

reversed water'may be prevented directions to those 'axlehaving a central lengthenthe axlee and use additional (:01- lars in which the bearing elements may be mounted.

As a means for rotating the rings 6, each is provided with gear teeth 15 which mesh with the teeth of the spur gears 16 and 16 operated by any preferred means, not shown, within the body of the vessel. The gear 16 is fixed on 'ashaft 17 that is disposed parallel to the axle t and is rotatably supported in suitable brackets 18 mounted on the flooring 3. The other gear 16 is fixed to a tubular shaft 19 which surrounds and is rotated independently of the shaft 17. The m'eans'which operates these drive shafts 17 and 19 cause the same to rotate in opposite directions, thereby causing the rings 6 with their blades l t to also move in opposite The'gears 16 and 16 are continuously in mesh with the gear teeth 15 6 and extend through an opening in the flooring 3. In addition to being mounted on thekeel 2, 'the axle t is also -supportedi'bysuitable brackets 20 carried bythe head 5 and the collar 8 and fixed to an adjacent portion of the vessel.

' The operation of this propulsion mechanism'is similar to that of other driving in other words, to cause the vessel to move forward the shafts 17 and lame caused to rotate in a suitable direcand When it is desired to move rearthese shafts must berotated in the direction. It is desired to lay particular emphasis upon the fact that'as many of thee propelling members consisting of the ringsi6 and blades 14:, may be rotatably mountediipon the axle 4 as is necessary to propel the vessel at the requiredarnount of s ee Any preferred form of casing or housing may be placed over the opening in the bottom of the boat through whie the operating gears 16 and 16 extend, in order that the from entering the hull of the vessel. This housing maybe arranged so as to be readily removable to permit access 'to the gears or the propellers when necessary from the inside of the boat.

1. Ina p'ropulsiondevice of the class described,'a central axle, a head on one end, a pair of spaced apart rings rotatable on said axle, a collar disposed between said rings and fixedto said axle, an additional collar fixed at the end of the axle remote from said head, propeller blades on said rings, the blades of one ring beingangled in' opposite v on the other, and means for rotating said rings inopposite directions. 2..The combination with avessel, of an bore receiving the keel of said vessel, a ring rotatable on said axle,

propeller blades onsaid' ring, and means for 6 5 revolving said ring.

'3. The combination with a Vessel, of an axle having a central bore receiving the keel of said vessel, a pair of rings rotatably mounted on said axle, propeller blades carried by each of said rings, the blades of one ring being angled in a reverse direction to those of the other, and means for rotating said rings in opposite directions.

4. The combination with a vessel, of an axle having a central bore receiving the keel of said vessel, a pair of rings rotatable on said axle, a plurality of collars disposed on said axle to retain the rings thereon, pins extending through said collars and axle, said pins also being extended through said keel, propeller blades on each of said rings, the blades of one ring being angled in the re verse direction to those of the other, and

means for rotating said rings in opposite d1- thereof meshing with the gear teeth of one of said'rings, and an additional shaft rotatably mounted within the tubular shaft, and a spur gear fixed on said last-mentioned shaft, the teeth thereof meshing with the teeth of the other of said rings, said spur a gears being adapted to rotate in opposite directions to similarly rotate said rings.

6. In a propulsion device of the class described, an axle, a pair of spaced apart collar members fixed to said axle, a pair of sockets formed in the adjacent faces of each dollar member, the sockets in one member being alined with those in the other, a rollerin each alined pairof sockets, a ring rotatably mounted on said rollers, propeller blades on said ring, and means forrotating said ring.

7.111 a propulsion device of the class described, an axle, a pair of spaced apart collar members fixed to said axle, the adjacent faces of said members each having an annular ball race therein, bearing balls in said ball races, the adjacent faces of said-members also having a plurality of sockets therein, the sockets n'one member being alined with those in the other, a roller in each alined pair of sockets, a ring rotatably fixed to said axle and spaced from said head,

meanwthe adjacent faces of said members and said head each having an annular ball race formed therein, bearing balls in said ball races, the adjacent faces ofsaid members and head also having a plurality of sockets formed therein, the sockets in one of said faces being alined with those in the adjacent face, a roller disposed in each alined pair of sockets, a pair of rings rotatably mounted 'on said rollers, one of said rings being disposed between the adjacent faces of said collar members and the other between the adjacent faces of one of said collar members and said Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner head, propeller blades on each of said rings, the blades on one ringbeing angled in a direction opposite to those on the other, and means for rotating said rings in opposite directions.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses,

WILLIAM F. IJLLRICH.

Witnesses:

MILDRED K. EeeLEsroN, GEO. B. MUNN.

0t Patents,

Washington, It). t. 

